| 08:30 |
Arrival of participants and morning coffee |
| 09:00 |
Opening remarks
Saša Bavec, President of the Board, CER Sustainable Business Network
Ana Struna Bregar, CEO, CER Sustainable Business Network |
| 09:15 |
Sustainable Sustainability: Why ESG Is Not Enough
Rajeev Peshawaria, CEO, Stewardship Asia Center, Singapore, and President, Leadership Energy Consulting, USA
Rajeev Peshawaria will present how companies, in times of crises, inequality and climate challenges, can turn the burden of ESG requirements into opportunities for growth. His talk will draw on research and cases from more than 100 companies, demonstrating that long-term success stems from linking profit with purpose. He will introduce a practical “playbook” from his bestseller Sustainable Sustainability, offering organizations an open model for growth, innovation and resilience in the 21st century. |
| 10:00 |
Why Sustainability Starts with Yourself
Saša Bavec, President of the Board, CER Sustainable Business Network
Saša Bavec will highlight why personal resilience is key to sustainability-oriented organizations and how inner transformation of leaders must become the foundation of sustainability strategies. The session will stress sustainability as an issue of business alignment and show how authentic commitment leads to authentic leadership, greater organizational resilience, and long-term value. |
| 10:20 |
Climate Challenges as a Lever for Growth and Innovation
Inge Huijbrecht, Global Sustainability and Safety Director, Radisson Hotels Group
Inge Huijbrecht will present how Radisson treats climate risks as a strategic opportunity to strengthen resilience and create new value. With concrete examples, she will show how responsible management of water, energy, materials, and supply chains is linked with guest engagement. Special focus will be given to working with small suppliers and using guest satisfaction data as a tool for innovation. |
| 10:40 |
From Sustainability Steps to Strategic Transformation
Zdravka Zalar, Owner, Smartis
Zdravka Zalar will share how Smartis recognized sustainability as a business opportunity and transformed it into a new strategic direction. By integrating circularity into its business model and developing projects for greater innovation and efficiency, Smartis demonstrates that sustainability is not an obligation but a driver of growth and long-term competitiveness. |
| 10:55 |
COFFEE BREAK |
| 11:25 |
The Sustainability Agenda in Times of Global Challenges and Opportunities
Dalija Delić, Sustainability Expert, Iskraemeco
Dalija Delić will explore how global trends and pressures shape sustainability strategies and why it pays off to respond proactively. The session will emphasize the role of digitalization, innovation, and partnerships in maintaining competitiveness, and offer practical insights into how to communicate the sustainability agenda to stakeholders. |
| 11:40 |
From the Inside Out: Responsibility at Every Step of the Value Chain
Urška Butolen, Head of Corporate Sustainability, Hisense Europe
Urška Butolen will showcase how internal commitment to responsibility can be translated into everyday business practice. Through concrete processes, tools, and new standards for working with suppliers and partners, her team has built a value chain founded on trust, transparency, and efficiency. |
| 11:55 |
When You Depend on Nature: A Story of Resilience and New Opportunities
Borut Fakin, CEO, Vinakoper
Borut Fakin will present how Vinakoper is strategically addressing climate change, a factor increasingly shaping the future of viticulture. By introducing targeted production adjustments and developing new business models and product categories, the company is not only strengthening its resilience but also unlocking opportunities that extend beyond its core product. |
| 12:10 |
How to Engage Employees in Sustainability?
Saša Vidmar Curk, CSR and Sustainability Advisor, Lidl Slovenia
How can companies get employees excited about sustainability? Saša Vidmar Curk will present the international LidlYOU initiative, which engages more than 370,000 employees across 31 countries. The lecture will demonstrate how sustainability can be embedded into company culture and daily work, empowering employees to become key contributors to a better world – both as teams and as individuals. |
| 12:25 |
Technology as a Shared Burden
Lan Orthaber, Head of Corporate Communications and Sustainability, A1 Slovenia
Lan Orthaber will present how he is responsibly addressing the impact of digital services on users’ habits and why digital overload has become a sustainability issue. Through a systematic program embedded in their ESG strategy, his team tackles challenges such as screen time, resilience, and awareness, while also integrating indirect environmental aspects. The lecture will share strategic goals, concrete practices, and the program’s impacts that sustainability managers can adapt to their own organizations. |
| 12:40 |
Roundtable: Small Companies, Big Moves Toward an Innovative Future
Primož Zorec, CEO, COGreen
Urška Kolar, CEO, Hotel Plesnik
Sabina Gros, CEO, BTP
Anja Raduha, Sustainability Project Lead, Kisik
Moderator: Meta Pavlin Avdić, Strategy Director, prvi.prvi
The discussion will explore how innovative small companies drive change and open new business opportunities through sustainability. |
| 13:30 |
LUNCH BREAK |
| 14:15 |
The Circular Business Revolution
Julia Binder, Professor of Sustainable Innovation, IMD Business School Lausanne, and Director, Center for Sustainable and Inclusive Business
Julija Binder will present practical insights on how companies can shift from a linear “take–make–waste” model to circular, resilient, and profitable business models. She will share key circular business model patterns and examples that inspire action and show concrete pathways to change. |
| 14:45 |
From environmental challenge to global success
Walter Sattlberger, Deputy Head of Corporate Communications and Public Affairs, Münzer Bioindustrie
Walter Satlberger will present how tackling local environmental challenges can evolve into a global business model. Using the example of Münzer’s transformation—from waste oil collection to an international renewable fuel and raw materials company—he will highlight the key drivers of growth. The lecture will emphasize how solving environmental problems creates business value, drives innovation, and strengthens long-term resilience. |
| 15:00 |
Circular Design as a comprehensive business strategy
Connor Hill, Circular & Sustainable Living Manager, IKEA
Connor Hill will demonstrate how design approaches go beyond individual products to shape entire business models – from development and material selection to customer relations and supply chain management. Through concrete examples, he will show how design principles enable material reuse, longer product lifecycles, and new service models that foster innovation, boost efficiency, and build long-term business resilience. |
| 15:15 |
Roundtable: Sustainability at the Leadership Level
Anita Stojčevska, Member of the Management Board, OTP Banka
Špela Fortin, Member of the Management Board, Telekom Slovenije (tbc)
Tomislav Franko, Member of the Management Board, Wienerberger Adriatic (tbc)
Matevž Frangež, Secretary General, Ministry of Economy, Tourism and Sport (tbc)
Moderator: Žiga Čebulj, advisor for green transformation, strategies, and sustainable business models, CER Sustainable Business Network
The roundtable will reveal how companies can transform sustainability from a compliance cost into a driver of business value. Topics will include integrating sustainability into financial strategy, measuring both visible and invisible returns, and securing support at the highest decision-making levels. |
| 16:00 |
COFFEE BREAK |
| 16:30 |
AWARD CEREMONY: Sustainability Leader & Green Star Certificates |
| 17:30 |
NETWORKING RECEPTION |